Steinem brand of blame-men-first feminism

Feminist provocateur Camille Paglia says Hillary Clinton’s adoption of a “blame-men-first” brand of feminism that “defines women as perpetual victims” who need protection and salvation from the government could be costly to her campaign.

Writing at Salon, Paglia – the author of Glittering Images: A Journey Through Art from Egypt to Star Wars – asserts that Clinton adopted the “second-wave” brand of feminism – propagated by the “telegenic” Gloria Steinem, who stated, “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” She contrasts Steinem’s message with that of her predecessor, National Organization for Women co-founder Betty Friedan, whom Paglia explains tried to draw men as well as mainstream wives and mothers into the women’s movement.

“Hillary has unfortunately adopted the Steinem brand of blame-men-first feminism, which defines women as perpetual victims requiring government protections,” she writes. “Hillary’s sometimes impatient or patronizing tone about men, which can perhaps be traced to key aspects of her personal history, may prove costly to her current campaign.”

Paglia has expressed concern in recent years about the Democrats’ chances in 2016. In the summer of 2013, she told Salon: